Soutien: compréhension écrite: games for change

Have you ever played World of Warcraft or Counter-Strike? For many, playing video games is a favorite pastime. Parents worry that these games may be too violent and may negatively affect their children. However, a group of video game creators believe that video games can help educate people about real-world tragedies. These video game designers and other humanitarians recently met in New York City for the 3rd annual Games for Change conference.Although there is violence in the games that these humanitarians create, the violence reflected is caused by real-life situations such as racism or war. For example, in the game Darfur is Dying, the player takes on the role of a Sudanese refugee traveling to a well to get water while avoiding the deadly militia terrorizing the country. This game sheds light on the bloody civil war being played out in Sudan. Darfur is Dying has been downloaded more than 750,000 times and continues to grow in popularity. Another game tackling real-world problems is PeaceMaker. In this adventure game, players can choose to be either the Israeli Prime Minister or the Palestinian President. The object of this game is to promote a peaceful resolution for the volatile situation between Israel and Palestine.

In only two years, attendance at the Games for Change conference has grown from 40 activists in attendance in 2004 to 250 this year. These humanitarians are excited to use this form of media to spread awareness of problems in the world. Through their games, they create hope for a better future and a better world.

1.

The game designers mentioned above want to _____.

(A)

develop games that would teach people about the world

(B)

educate children on how to end violence in their own lives

(C)

negatively affect the youth of America

(D)

start up a conference to stop the war in Darfur

2.

What is the main difference between regular games and the games mentioned above?

(A)

The quality of the graphics is far superior in regular games.

(B)

Downloads take twice as much time for the new games.

(C)

The violence in regular games isn’t as bloody.

(D)

The violence in the new games is based on real-life scenarios.

3.

Which of the following wouldn’t be a title of a Games for Change video game?